Lock mechanism for cabinets



May 16, 1933. B. G. RAND LOCK MECHANISM FOR CABINETS Filed April 14, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 16, 1933. B, G RAND 1,909,848

LOCK MECHANISM FOR CABINETS Filed April 14, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Benjamin Glzami *M' Patented May 16, 1933 UNITED STATES BENJAMIN G. RAND, or

NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK, Ass iGNoR. BAND INC., or BUFFALO, NEW YORK. r

eon MECHANISM FOR CABINETS Application filed April 14,

This invention relates to locking devices f or cabinets, particularly file cabinets, for locking the drawers in closed position.

The invention comprehends the construction of-a'filing cabinet having a drawer or a plurality of drawers, or other similartype of furniture construction, with parts of the cabinet structure provided and arranged for the mounting of a locking mechanism adapted to retain the drawers locked in closed position,

that may be assembled in the cabinet after it is completed. The invention is applicable to filing cabinets constructed of sheet metal so as to have the locking mechanism applied in one sideof the cabinet adjacent the front wall, and utilizes the case slides or other stationary part of the drawer supporting and. guiding structure as a support for the latch members which engage parts on thedrawers in locking the drawers in closed posltlon, the

case slides, or other corresponding parts, be-

ing constructed toform-the latch mounting. I

The invention also includes a movable latch construction, as well as a lock controlled opcrating structure, for the movable latches,

and parts for mounting this operating structure in a cabinet in a convenient manner to facilitate the attachment of these parts to the cabinet in its completed form. V

The invention comprehends other features residing in the details of construction and assembly of the lock mechanism and the parts of the cabinet for mounting this mechanism therein, as more fully set forth in the following detailed description of one form of the invention, it beingunderstood, however, that various changes in the size, shape and relation of these parts may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as comprehended by the claims.

In the drawings: i

Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of a filing cabinet with the lock mechanism applied.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the filing cabinet taken on line 22 of Fig. 1,

the section being in broken form withportions omitted for convenience in illustration.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through a portion of one side of the cabinet taken on line 33 of Fig. 2, and showing one of the 1921. Serial No. 530,108.

movable latch members in looking. engagement with a latch member carried by a drawer. I 1

.Figfll 1s al orizontal section taken on line 4-4=ofFig$1 through a. portion of the top 'ro nnmmeron .1

Fig. Gshowsa lower front corner of the I cabinet in perspective, with portions broken away and shown in section to illustrate the structure of a case shde for mounting a mov able latch member, and the opening in the bottom wall of the cabinet to facilitate the 1ionsertion or removal of the latch operating 1 Fig 7 shows the assembled locking mechanism 1n perspective,disassembled from the cabinet, and in disassembled relation'with the supporting bracket.

Fig. 8 shows oneof the case slides constructed for. supporting a movable latch' member and its operating bar, in perspec net, and cooperates with the side, top and 90 bottom walls to form a rigid cabinet struc-* ture. i

Rear uprights9 are secured to the side walls 3 adjacent the rear wall 5 of the cabi-' net to reinforce the rear end of the cabinet structure and provide a mounting for'th'e drawer supporting and guide members. These drawer supporting and guiding mem-v bers may be of any suitable well known de-- sign using channel-shaped case slides 11 airranged in opposed pairs at opposite sides of the cabinet to support the movable parts that carry and support the drawers 2 .for movevment into and out of the cabinet. Thesecase the body of the caseslides, interlocking in op'eningsl'i, and 18 respectively in side members 6. Any other well knownmethod of rigidly connecting, the case slides to the inside of the cabinet may be used, if desired. By mounting thecase slides on side members 6 of the front frame member and rear uprights 9, they are spaced inwardly from side walls 3, of the cabinet as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and by reason of this-provide a space. for receivingportions of the locking mechanism for, the drawers.

The case slides 11 at one side of the cabinet are specially constructed for use with this invention in having the channelshaped portion provided with an opening 19 near the front end formed by striking out a. portion of the bodyof thecase slideto provide a laterally extending latch supportv20 at the lower edgeof the opening. A slot 21 is also formed in the case slide extending forwardly from opening 19 in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 6. 'A slot 22 is provided in each latch supporting projection 20, each slot having a narrow central portion and being wider at its ends, and the slots in the latch supports 20 of successive case slides being in. axial alignment with each other. An opening 23 is formed in the bottom wall 4 as shown in Fig. 6, having ,portionsinalignment with the slots 22 of latch supports 20, so that the movable latch operating bar 24 may be inserted, in a completed, cabinet structure through opening 23 in bottom wall 4 and through slots 22 in the respective projections 20 on the case slides soas to assume the position shown in Fig. 2.

Movable latch members 25 are formed of elongated sheet metal strips having slots 26 adjacent one end portion of a shape similar to slots 22 for receiving the operating bar 24 in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 7 The adjacent end of the strip forming latch 25 is extended laterally at 27 and then inwardly at128 to provide a guide finger. This guide,

finger engages around the edge of latch sup porting projection 20 in the operative position of the movable latch member thereon and serves to prevent axial sliding movement ofthe latch member on bar 24. The particular shape of opening 26 in latch member 25 provides for a limited pivotal movement of the latch member relative to bar 24, while slot 22 in projection 20 provides for partial rotation of bar 24, so that latch 25 may be positioned for operation to retain a. drawer in closed position, or moved out of this position, to permit opening of the drawer.

The opposite end of latch member 25 is provided with a projection-29 extending beyond" one side thereof, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 7, and is adapted to coact with a latch member 30formed by an angular projection on drawer slide 31 mounted on side wall 32 of the drawer. The movable latch member 25 is formed-on the edgeopposfite'to projection 29 with a laterallyextendingstop lug 33 and adjacent cut-out portions 34. .Stop lug is adapted to engage the outer; faceof case slide ll adjacent-to slot 21 for limiting movement of'latch member 25 in operative relation to latch member 30,,so that when movable latch member25'is inthis operative position and drawerf2 happenstobeepemthe closing movement of the drawer. will cause the angular portion of latch mem'berBO to engage cam face 35 formed on projection 29, formoving latch member 25 outwardly on: its pivot so that latch member 30 maypass projection 29 and move into position for latchingengagement. Latch member 25 is resil: iently retained in its.operativeor coactingrposition with latch member 30 by a spring member36 havingacoiled portion at 37;, a short arm 38 provided with ahooked'endengag ing around the bar 24 andhav'ing along arm 39- provided with a hooked end vengaging around an edge of latch member'25 in one of the recesses 34. This spring member 36 acts to resilientlymove latch member 25in a clockwise direction around bar 24 as; shownin Fig. 3 to normally hold said :latoh member in operative position to coaot with :latch member 30. v

A supportingbracket '40, Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 7 isformed with an offset flange 41 engaged over the rear edge of a side member 6.0.15 the: front frame adjacent the upper end thereof, while the intermediate portion'of the bracket lies against side wall 3,.towhich' it is suit ably secured. The other end of this bracket is provided with a lateral extension 42'h-aving a slot 43 enlarged at itsends-and having a narrow portion'at the center aligned-withztheslot 22 in latch. supporting projection '20, and receiving the upper end of operating bar 24.

An-o erating arm 44 for bar 24' is shown in Fig.% and comprises a bar engaging ;portion 45 having'laterally extending parallel tongues 46 engaging opposite edges of bar-24 just above lateral projection 42 of bracket 40, while an opening 47 in thewangularly extending portion '48 of the operating arm, adjacent its juncture-with portion- 45 re l ceives the end of bar 24. A screw 49, or other suitable securing means, extends through an opening in bar 24 and into bar engaging portion 45 for'rigidly securing these parts together. The lower end of:portion 45 of operating arm 44 rides on projection 42-and supports the operating bar 44 in its operative position for limited rotative movement to operate latch members 25 into coacting and non-acting relation with respect to latch members 30 on the drawers. The angularly extending portion 48 ofzoperating arm 44 is formed withan angular stud 50 extending through opening 51 in lock bar 52. The opposite end of this lock bar is provided with reduced extension 53 slidably engaged in slot 54 of lock supporting bracket 55 and the end of the portion 53 is attached to lock barrel 56 shown in Fig. 7. a

The lock supportingbracket 55 is mounted on the upper-.face-of upper cross member 7 of the front frame, as-shown in Fig. 2, and suitably secured thereto by screws 57, or the like. The lock barrel 56 projects through an opening 58, Fig. 4, in the upper edge ofthe front wall of the cabinet. The front end of the lock barrel 56 is provided with a key slot 59, Fig. 7, for receiving the key 60 through which the latch mechanism (not shown) contained in barrel 56 is adapted for actuation by the key to project or retract the lock finger 61 adapted for locking engagement with the keeper slot 62in lock supporting bracket 55.

' A coil spring 63 has one end connected with arm 48 and the opposite end connected to bracket 55 and normally actuates operating arm 44 toward lock supporting bracket 55 for moving lock bar 52, the lock barrel, and other connected parts to a position; in which locking latches 25 will be moved to an inoperative or non-coacting position relative to latches 30 in order that the drawers 2 may be freely moved in and out of the cabinet. This position of operating arm 44, lock bar 52 and connected parts, is shown in Fig. 5, while the lockingposition of these parts is illustrated in Fig. 4. It will be noted that in the unlocked position of the parts, the end of lock barrel 56 projects outwardly beyond the front face of the cabinet so that when it is desired to move the parts into locking position, it is only necessary to press lock barrel 56 to the position shown in Fig. 4, where the locking stud 61 registers with keeper slot 62 into which it is projected by the mechanism within thebarrel 56 in the usual and well known manner. The key operated mechanism within barrel 56 for projecting and retracting stud 61 is astructure now well known in the art, .and forthis reasonit is not deemed necessary to illustrate it here to any greater extent. I

When the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 4, operating bar 24 is moved to its limit position in a clockwise direction in slots 43 and 22 respectively. This providesfor the movement of movable latch members 25 through opening 19 and guide slot 21in which the free ends of latch members 25 are slidably guided to their operativeor'co-acting position as shown in Fig.3, with latch members 30 on the drawers. The latch members 25 are retained by spring members'36 substantially at their limit of movement in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 3, on bar 24, while stop projection 33 engaging the outer face of case slide'll limits this movement. In case any of the drawers are in open position supported out of the cabinet, as

above-explained, and the lock barrel 56 has been moved'to locking position so as to project movable latches25 into operative or coacting positiomthe closing movement of the drawers will cause latch. members 30 to en gage the cam surface 35 and move them relative to bar 24 against the tension of springs 36, thereby permitting the latch members 30 on the drawers to move past latch members 25 without injuring these parts, until the drawer is in the closed position, when the spring 36will again project latches 35 into their operative position for coacting with latch members 30, as shown in Fig. 3, in which position they will retain the drawer in closed lock barrel through use of key 60, spring 63 will then move lock bar 52 and lock barrel 56 into the position of Fig. 5, which will operate bar 24 to its opposite limit of movement in slots 22 and 43 and will move latch members'25 outwardly andout of engagement with latch members 30 on the drawers so that the drawers may be moved into open and closed positions,

By forming the latch supporting projections 20 on the case slidesfor the drawer supporting and guiding mechanism, the use of independent brackets or other mounting means for ,the drawer locking mechanism is. eliminated, and by forming the opening23 in the bottom wall 4 of the cabinet and mounting the supportingbracket 40 at the upper end of the cabinet with slots 43 aligned with slots 22, it will be seenthat latch members 25, operating bar24, and operating arm 44,

position. By retracting the stud 61 in the a may be readily inserted into a completed cabinet structure and assembled by merely inserting the screw 49 in position. Then, the application of lock supporting bracket 55'to m cross member 7 by securing it in position ing opening, and drawer supporting and guiding means comprising case slides mounted in the cabinet and drawer slides movably supported thereon and attached to a drawer,

' coacting latch members for retaining the drawer in closed position mounted on said case slides and drawer slides operable to lock the drawer in closed position .in the cabinet, one of said latch members being relatively movable to the other member, and cabinetcarried loch-controlled means operable in said case slides for actuating said movable latch member into" and out of coacting relation with :the other latch member.

2-. A locking mechanism for cabinets having a front wall formed with a drawer receiving opening, side walls, and drawer supporting and guiding means comprising case slides mounted in saidcabinet in spaced parallel relation to said side walls, drawer slides movably supported thereon and attached to and movably supporting a drawer in the cabcabinet through said'drawer receiving open ing, coacting latch member carried by said case slide and drawer slide respectively for retaining the drawer in closed position, one of said latch members being movable, and lock-controlled means in said cabinet between said case slides and side walls operable to actuate said movable latch member-into coacting relation with the other latch member.

3. A lockingmechanism for cabinets having a front wall formed with a drawer receiving opening and drawer supporting and guiding means comprising case slidesmounted in the cabinet and supporting a drawer for movement into and out of the cabinet through said drawer' receiving' opening, a

latch operating member rotatable insaid case slidesa latch member movably supported on ed in the cabinet and supporting a drawer for movement into andoutof theca-binet through said drawer receivingopening, a latch operating member rotatable in said case slides a latch member mounted on said operating member for limited rotating movement rela-c tivezthereto and supportedby one of-said case slides, resilient means normally holding said latch member at vone limit of movement on said operatingmember, a coacting latch mem- I beron the drawer cooperating with the firstmentioned latch member in one positionto retain said drawer in closed position, and lock-controlled means forrotating said operating memberto position said first-mentioned latch member in coacting and non-coacting relation relative to the latch member on said drawer. 1

5. A locking mechanism forea'binets' having a'frontwall formed with a drawer receiving opening and drawer? supporting and guiding means comprising case slides mounted in the cabinet and supporting a drawer for movement into and out of thecabinet through said drawer receiving opening, a latch operating bar, a projection formed on a caseslide having an opening rotatably receiving said operating bar, a latch member movably supported on said projection having an opening receiving said operating bar-for limited rotative movement, means formed in the case slide for guiding said latch member, a coacting latch member on the drawerfsaid latch members coacting in one position thereof to retain said drawer in closed position, resilient means for normally retaining'said movable latch member at one limit of movement onsaid operating bar, and lock-controlled means for actuating said operatingmember to position-said movable latch member in coacting and non-coacting relation with the other latch member. 7 6. A locking mechanism for cabinets having a frontwall' formed with a drawer receiving opening and drawer supporting and guiding -means comprising sheet metal drawer supporting case slides mounted in the cabinet, a drawer having metal portions supporting it onthe caseslides for movement into and out of the cabinet through said drawer receiving open ng, a pa r of cOacti-ng latch members, one struck out from the metal portions on said drawer, and the other on a caseslide, said case slide being formed to movably'support and guide said other latch member, and lock-controlledmeans for actuating said other latch member into coacting and non-coact-ing positions relativeto the latch member on said drawer, saidlatch members retaining'said drawer in closed position when in engaged coacting relation.

--7. The combination with a cabinet having a front wall-formed with a drawer receiving opening, a bottom wall, drawer suppor ing and guiding means comprising "case slides net forming a drawer locking mechanism,

comprising a movable latch member mounted on said latch support for cooperating with said drawer carried latch in one, position to retain said drawer in closed position, a latch operating member engaged in the opening in said latch support, engaging said movable latch member, andremovable and insertable through the opening in said bottom wall, and lock-controlled actuating means for said operating member detachably carried by the supporting means insaid cabinet having a part operable in the opening in said front wall to actuate said operating member to position said movable latch memher in cooperating and non-cooperating positions relative to said drawer carried latch member.

8. The combination with ya cabinet having a front wall formed with drawer receiving openings, a bottom wall, side walls, drawer supporting and guiding means comprising case slides mounted inside the cabinet in adjacent but spaced relation to said side walls, said case slides being arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the cabinet, each pair of case slides supporting a drawer for movement into and out of the cabinet through said drawer receiving openings, a plurality of supporting parts mounted in said cabinet between one side wall and the adjacent case slides, and having openings in aligned relation with each other and an opening in the bottom wall, the front wall having an opening for a lock-controlled member, and said drawers having latch members thereon, of attachments forming a locking mechanism capable of assembly in a completely finished cabinet comprising movable latch members adapted for support on said supporting parts, an operating bar insertable through the opening in said bottom wall and mounted in the aligned openings in said supporting parts in engagement with said movable latch members, and lock-controlled means having parts connected with said operating bar and a part projecting in said opening in the front wall, for actuating said operating bar to position said latches in coacting and non-coacting relation with the latch members on said drawers and for locking said drawers in closed position when said movable latch members are in engaged cooperating relation with the latch members on said drawers; g 5 it l 9. The combination with a cabinet having. a front wall formed with drawer receiv ing openings, a bottom wall, sidewalls, draw} er supporting,- and a guiding means comprising ease slides mountedinside-the cabinet in adjacent but spaced relation to said side walls, said "case slides being arranged in pairs atoppositesides of the cabinet, each pair of case slides supporting a fdrawerf for movement into. andout of the cabinet through said drawer receiving openings, a"plu ralityof supportingp'arts mounted in said 'cabi- Q net between one side 'wallandthe adjacent case slides, and having openings in aligned relation with each otherland an gopening in the bottom wall, thef'ront wall having] an openingfor a lock-controlled member,and said drawers having latch members thereon, of attachments forming a locking mechanism for locking the drawers in closed'position comprising partsinsertablejthrough the openings in sal d bottom and front walls and su ported by said supporting ,pa'rts, operable to @Ctuatemovable latch membi fs m011ntd' on said supportingv partsjto cooperatewit-h the *latch f members on isaid 'drawers to re-1 leasably retain said drawers in closed position. 10, The combination with a file cabinet, having side walls, a fron-t wall provided with drawer receiving openings, and drawers sup ported in said cabinet for-movement into and out of said cabinet through said ,draWer -re ceiv'ing openings, "each drawer having a latch member; of a locking fmechanism' -for said drawers incl'osed position"comprisingfa latch] operating bar at" one side of said ldrawerf's,

movable latch membersslidable onsaid bar,

front wall of said cabinet operabl'efto move a said movable latch members through operation of said arm and bar, intoand out ofpodrawers. 5

11.- Inalocking mechanism for cabinets a supporting member for a latch member com-f engaging thelatch members on said prising a case slide formed of a channel shaped member having'a centralportion prof vi'de'd with laterally extending flanges at opg; posite side edges, means formed at opposite. ends of said central portion to receive connecting members for mounting said slide in a cabinet, and a lateral projection from an in termediate part of said central portion t0 pro-. vide a movable latch support, said central portion having an opening adjacent said lat- .e1f,@1 p110jeeti0n to receiveeaid mQvablelat-ch member for guided operation therein.

,12. .;In;& locking inechanismioncabinets, a meyab latch me be c mp i ng r sh metal strip having one end terminatingina 7 lateraleziteneionlfhaving the end -,f0rmed' to ip'mvide e \guidefinger overlying. the strip a d ieeentse' d extensio i p e p ralle el tien, ,gan intermediate portion of eaid strip 10 haying ,a, pivot-receiving opening formed the ein, v:e id th opp i eend L o Sa trip hmzing' 1 4561 1 pr j ion xtend ng ey nd qn e eilgeQ ai-oeking nech'anismfor abinets, 1,2 l .0!) bin ed'd'rawer andlateh slupporting membenlcomp i ng a c enn lhapedi case slide iireifitied ,a t' leppesite ends ,for attachment to a,leabinefljthe ehannel portion forminge s uppent fQrjnevable drawer guiding and TSUP- petting:meansg and a projeetion proviiied ,on sari-d: we s ide adj c n an peni g f m d therein intermediate the ends ,to' provide movable .leteh in0i1nting, ;and guiding means. 114. I A fdrawer locking imechadn' is'm for 02b- 2 inetsjQQIIlpf-ising a ease slide mounted vin the fiabinet lf0rine'c1;to pr0vide adrawer supportingainld guiding portion, and havingan-opem 'infg ferined therein, al'atchesupport on' said sl icl ej aentsaidppen ng,.P i i g lat aily therefroin, a mevtble latch member at ne'eieie o f said ,lateh support extending threugh end gi ideld in said 0penin'g,jh aving ag idejfingerratjone end extending over the (apposite, ide ef saijd latch support, and a let ch' prejection at the oppositeenchendlockcenttolled means for pivotally retaining said motgztble latch member onlseid latch support an f mjli gg'j ila ch membe nto and out of position gifor J latching cooperation withfzt 40 part earrie'djbye drawer supported in Said eeseslid t retainthe dr w rsin 1 s .pQ tionin the'eaibinet.

jl5- .In'a fil ng ciebi etiha ng d a e lidztbletherein, means jfer sliglably suppqrting AS the drawers, an eblengflatehoperating-mem ber gextending adjacent a; pl'uralityflof the drawers, m ans for m'eunting said "mem e feltro etiv ,m vementab its o gi d n axis, latching devices fpivotally supported v 51} transversely off said member, means on the e l drawers eO perat-ing with the latching devlicesto provide alate'hing cennecti,on,%means forleciki'ng the latching member, and yieldb me n enn c edt th la ching, d i 5.5 and to said member fqrg rging the'latehing devices ftow'ardihe drawers to provide for osing and au om cally flocking n p drawer after the i10cking--.-means ,has been okei Y v BENJAMIN G..:RA-ND.

CERTIFICATE OF CQRRECTION.

Patent No. 1,909,848. May 16, 1933.

BENJAMIN G. RAND.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 33, claim 2, strike out the syllable "eabi-"; line 34, after "cabinet" insert the words "for movement into and out of said cabinet"; line 35, for "member" read "members", and line 42, before "relation" insert the Words and non-coasting"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of July, A. D. 1933.

M. J. Moore.

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

